VV(6) - Halidom

[Terrance]

David Morris wrote:
> 
> ----------
> (104) Esther was thrilled.  It was like waiting to be born and talking over
> with God, calm and businesslike, exactly how you wanted to enter the world.

Pynchon? Did you say Pynchon? 

Great! 




> ----------
> 
> Esther has chosen to be reborn by the aegis of a new God.  Her old one left
> her as a big-nosed preterite in this world, even while telling her she was
> his chosen, elect.

Chosen, but not Elect, right? The Jews are the chosen
Preterite. This is an important thing to know when reading
P's fiction. The Chosen People are the last, the Jews were
the last chosen, so they understood Jesus, MT 19:30 " But
many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be
first."

Chosen People: According to the Torah, Jews were chosen by
God to receive the Torah and given the special
responsibility (or duty) to be “A Light Unto The Nations,”
thereby, spreading the word of God. 

Remember,  that in GR, the Jewish traditions that P
satirizes for their system of Elect and Preterite are
various kabbalisms. 


Ein Sof:
            (Heb., “without limit”). In Jewish kabbalism, a
designation for the
            divine—“the unlimited one.” In early Judaism and
Christianity, refers to
            those considered to be chosen by God for a
specific purpose; in some
            Christian predestinarian schemes (e.g.,
Calvinistic), “the elect” are those
            whom God has chosen (in advance) to have eternal
life. 

BTW, as pertains to Rachels religion in V. and the good
doctor's. Some Jews say that the Laws are absolute,
unchanging laws from G-d (Orthodox); some say they are laws
from G-d that change and evolve over time (Conservative);
some say that they are guidelines that you can choose
whether or not to follow (Reform, Reconstructionist).


http://www.jewfaq.org/whoisjew.htm